Consider Search Engine Optimization (SEO) When Selecting Your Domain Name

Now, before you go and register www.JanetsHairHeaven.com for your Boston hair styling business, just take a second to consider that search engines heavily consider the keyword phrase/s used in your domain name in order to determine what your website is about. A good domain name is the first step in communicating the right keyword theme about your local business website.

JanetsHairHeaven.com would be a good SEO domain name because you’d be able to “own” your brand (“janet’s hair heaven”) in search engine results. But is anyone even searching on your brand name? If you’re a brand new business, then surely NOT. And even if you’re an established business, you’ll have a much easier time expanding your customer base by registering a domain name that uses common keywords people use to search for local businesses like yours.

So, what’s a better domain name for Janet? How about:

• BostonHairStylist.com
• HairStylistinBoston.com
• BeautyShopBoston.com
• BostonBeautyShop.com
• BostonHair-Stylist.com
• Boston-Hair-Stylist.com

But wait, is Boston too big an area for your business? Does it make sense for you to target your neighborhood of Beacon Hill in your domain name? These questions will be up to the business owner to decide on, but you get the idea. There are tons of possibilities for your domain name, so be sure to go with one that uses the best keywords to target your potential customers.

Some great resources for brainstorming keywords and domain names are:

Google Keyword Suggestion Tool: Use this tool to expand the list of keyword phrases that might be used to describe your local business. In Janet’s case she might input “boston hair stylist” and get back “beauty shop in boston” as a suggested term. Get familiar with this tool, because it’ll be used in every process of optimizing your site for search engines and more importantly, your consumers.

Nameboy: This is a great tool to brainstorm domain names and see their availability.

Happy domain name hunting!